


Sugar and Salt

by negaii



Category: Arashi (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Fluff, Interspecies Romance, M/M, Mythical Beings & Creatures, merman
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-23
Updated: 2016-03-23
Packaged: 2018-05-28 16:05:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,688
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6335377
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/negaii/pseuds/negaii
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jun has some doubts about their relationship. Nino doesn't know why there's a problem.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sugar and Salt

**Author's Note:**

> Fluff. Fluff. All the fluff. And Matsumiya. This was originally an Ohmiya fanfic (the whole mermaid concept) that actually reached 5K, but...hm. I'm unsure whether or not that will ever get finished lol.
> 
> This one shot isn't meant to be taken seriously! I just miss Matsumiya. <3

Sometimes Jun wonders if this is a bad idea. It’s something that they’ve been told since birth to never do.

_Don’t meet with the landwalkers. Don’t trust their words for they are always lies and full of empty promises._

There’s countless tales of young and naive mermen and mermaids meeting the humans and disappearing shortly after, never to return. Jun wonders if Nino is like that. Grumpy little Nino, who stays inside too much (but ventures outside in the sun to see him), his eyes are always a little bloodshot because of late night gaming (but always willing to wake up a few hours later to meet him in secrecy), lips always curved in a tiny smirk (being aimed at him in a small attempt to seduce him for a kiss), and hands that fit perfectly with his (when Jun asks for a little bit of innocent affection). Will Nino tell him lies? Will he give him empty promises if Jun decides to believe in them?

He looks at the man who’s sitting at the rocks located close to the ocean, and deep enough for Jun to swim in. The ocean is Jun’s home, and probably always will be (unless Nino _promises_ , _promises_ , and _promises_ ). Nino is currently playing on his 3DS XL, his short fingers pressing on the buttons rapidly; he curses at the gaming device in his hands as he works at beating the boss. Jun has tried playing the gaming device once; Nino had allowed Jun to experiment with one level. The end result had been Nino’s hurt pride and indignation when Jun had actually beaten Nino’s high score. Nino still insists it’s beginner’s luck to this day.

Nino is wearing that dark yellow shirt he has taken to wearing often these days. Jun doesn’t know why, but yellow is a lovely colour on the smaller man. Maybe it’s the contrast of the man’s slightly darker sarcastic personality mixed with the brightness of the colour of the sun that makes it so Nino. Nino isn’t a downer, but he isn’t full of sunshine either; Jun likes that about him. It’s _grounding_. 

Jun moves closer to his lover at the rocks. The water is very warm today, despite it still being a bit dark outside. The sun is slowly coming up at the horizon, painting their skin a soft orange. “Nino,” Jun begins as he swims closer to the rocks and places both hands on the spot at Nino’s side.

“Hm?” He responds absentmindedly, still fully focused on his game. Jun looks at him for a moment before pushing himself up on the rocks, taking care not to splash Nino. When he manages to get himself comfortably positioned on the rocks, Nino has already put his game to the side and is staring at him. 

“What?” Jun asks as he dips his tail in the water. That feels really good he thinks as he flaps his tail, creating large ripples in the water. He sees Nino shake his head in the water, before turning his gaze back up to see the man sending him a look of confusion. 

“Is something wrong?” He asks worriedly. Jun shakes his head.

“Not really…” he says. He looks out at the horizon. “It’s-I guess... I wonder about us sometimes.”

“You don't want to break up… do you?” Nino asks quietly. Jun snaps his gaze at him in shock. Nino's looking back at him nervously, his hands balled into tiny fists on his lap. Jun scoots closer to his lover and wraps an arm around the smaller man’s waist. Nino leans into him. 

“No! Not at all!” He exclaims. He feels Nino melts into him with relief. “How did you even come to that conclusion?” Nino shrugs against him.

“You're really quiet today,” Nino simply says. Now he's looking at their reflections in the water.

“I was just contemplating about things, don't worry about it, Nino.”

Nino looks up at him in bemusement. “That doesn't make me feel particularly any better, Jun.”

Jun looks down at him for a few seconds before turning his gaze towards the horizon. The sun is almost up. He feels Nino reach for his hand.

“Jun?” Nino calls softly. Jun squeezes the tiny man closer to him.

“I just... I just wanted to know where this is going. Our relationship, I mean,” Jun pauses. Nino pulls away from him, his face stricken with disbelief. 

“So you were thinking about breaking up!” Nino accuses, hurt in his tone. 

“No!” Jun cries loudly, making Nino jump back at the outburst. “Gods, Nino,” Jun says frustratedly, “I already told you I wasn't talking about us breaking up.” He runs a hand through his black locks, already dried from the sun. Nino scowls at him.

“Then what are you talking about, Jun?” Nino asks glaring at him. “Can you just get to the point already?” Jun rolls his eyes. Nino has never been very patient.

“I just wanted to know if you wanted us to last. I want to know if this relationship is something serious to you, if you want it to be something you want to keep for a long time.” Maybe forever Jun hopes quietly. Nino blinks at him before doubling over with laughter. Jun looks at him stunned. “Why are you laughing?!”

Nino is howling now. He's fallen backwards on his back and laughing, his body shaking with mirth. Jun just watches his lover rolling on the rocks in reluctant amusement. Nino giggles as he brushes a tear away from his eye. 

“Oh, Jun,” Nino says in between giggles. “That's what you were worried about all this time?”

“I don't see why you wouldn't be,” Jun says stonily, but feels his heart warm at the sight of his lover’s smile that’s directed at him. He’s so weak.

“Jun, Jun, Jun,” Nino singsongs as he crawls closer to the merman and squeezes himself into his embrace, kissing him on the nose. “You silly fish--”

“I'm not a fish!” Jun interrupts angrily. Nino pulls on his hair. Jun winces. That actually hurts.

“Don't interrupt, you big baby.” Jun glares at him. Nino smirks before kissing him on the cheek this time. “As I was saying, you're being silly. Of course I want this to last. When did I give you the impression that I didn't?” Now Nino’s face has taken on a solemn expression; he's watching Jun’s face carefully.

“Nino, we hardly talk about our relationship.”

“Why talk about it if there are no problems?”

“I--never mind. Forget I said anything,” Jun says in exasperation. He hears Nino shift in his arms, the man now lying down on his stomach. Nino looks up at him and traces patterns on Jun’s arms.

“Now is the time to talk about it since there clearly is a problem,” Nino points out into the quietness a few minutes later. Jun sighs and begins to push himself towards the water.

“Forget it, I was just thinking too much.” He tries to lift Nino away from him to slip into the water. Nino gets up from Jun’s tail but he refuses to let the man go any further. Nino grabs his arm to prevent him from going any further into the water.

“Jun.” Jun tries to pull his arm away from the man’s grip. Nino isn't budging though. The man could be quite strong when he set his mind to it. Nino keeps quiet until he finally says, “The reason why I've never talked about it was because I assumed you had the same thoughts as I did.”

“Which is? You can't assume everything, Nino. Sometimes I never know what you're thinking,” Jun remarks in exasperation but he stops trying to move away from Nino’s grip. He pushes himself back higher onto the rocks, splashing Nino’s toes a little bit.

“I just thought that you knew I was serious about this in the beginning. Always.” Nino bites his lips as he turns back to look at the merman. Jun stares at him and he feels his heart warm. He doesn't know why he has doubts in the first place. He should have known Nino is serious about them, serious about their relationship. Nino has a tendency to shy away from things that make him uncomfortable, but Nino has never questioned things that he's sure about. Jun feels bad that he's doubted his lover. Jun slides his hands under Nino’s underarms and pulls the slighter man on top of him. Nino yelps in surprise at being manhandled and grabs Jun’s shoulder for balance while he straddles Jun’s sides. “What are you doing?” He asks in confusion.

Jun squishes the smaller man against him. “I'm sorry. I just wanted... I guess I just wanted you to tell me that this was something you wanted to last.” Nino sighs and Jun feels the smaller man melt into his embrace. “I love you,” he tells him quietly. Nino squeezes him.

“I love you too,” he mumbles into Jun’s collarbone before pulling away to capture his lips for a kiss.

The two of them stay like that for a while, kissing each other softly and tenderly. Jun’s favourite kisses (even though kissing Nino is his favourite thing besides sex) are the ones where it feels as if they have all the time in the world, and the feeling where they can't get enough, but isn't rushed. He likes the calm and tender kisses with Nino just as much as the passionate and heated ones they have when they haven’t seen each other for a few days. Jun can't help but feel he's the luckiest person in the world. The road to happiness will not be easy, but Jun has faith things will work out as long as Nino is with him. Nino gives him words with meaning, and maybe promises that are forever. It's too early to tell, but Jun has faith that things will work out. Nino may not be able to promise him a forever (who could?), but Jun knows for sure the man will try his best to.

Maybe some tales aren't true after all.


End file.
